India Participates in Zapad 2025 Military Exercise in Russia

One of the participants in Zapad 2025, a large-scale multinational military exercise, who will be present at the event between 10 and 16 September 2025, is the Indian Armed Forces. Over 20 nations are gathered at the event when the geopolitical tension between Eastern Europe is increasing.

Indian Contingent

India has sent a team of 65 people comprising of 57 Army members, 7 Air Force members and 1 Navy member. The Kumaon Regiment battalion is the head of the Army unit that is complemented by soldiers of other arms and services. Here the integrated nature of Indian multilateral practices in relation to multinational exercises is seen.

Objectives of the Exercise

Zapad 2025 aims to:

• Enhance the interoperability between involved countries.
• Carry out standard war and anti-terror operations.
• Increase joint planning, tactical coordination and open terrain special arms training.
• Give methods, means, and methodologies of contemporary combat actions.

Operational Scope

The exercise involves joint operations at the company level that incorporates the emerging technologies, as well as the traditional military approaches. The subjects will also be exposed to simulated combat scenarios where their preparation in multinational settings will be enhanced.

Geopolitical Backdrop

The exercises themselves are occurring near the eastern borders of NATO which has caused neighbouring states to respond in terms of security.

• Poland blocked its border with Belarus due to the threats of insecurity.
• NATO and Lithuania strengthened border defence.
• The size and the secrecy of the exercise have made NATO uneasy on the intentions of Russia.

Diplomatic Tensions

This border closure by Poland was denounced by the Belarusian government as an abuse of geography to add to existing poor relations after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by Russia. In recent events, Poland has arrested a Belarusian spy and expelled diplomats, the Czech Republic and Romania have done the same.

Strategic and Military Significance.

Nuclear-related exercises and tests of the Russian hypersonic Oreshnik missile system, which are also part of Zapad 2025, illustrate the position of deterrence adopted in Moscow. In the case of NATO, the exercise schedule and extent are a matter of concern that escalation would occur in Eastern Europe.